The 4th July - North Weald remembers the Eagle Squadrons

[TJJ]

The Stars & Bars were flying over the main gate at North Weald today, as we remembered the two American Eagle Squadrons – 71 and 121 – which fought so successfully from the Airfield with the RAF during 1941.



Bill Dunn was the first US ace, flying his Spitfire from North Weald. This profile is on display upstairs in the Tower, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and is now a Grade II Listed Building.



Have a good day, guys!

[Stoney]

Thanks, but the flag is called Stars & Stripes, not bars, stars & bars is what we call the Confererate flag.

[JohnB]

It's good of them to remember.

[Dan K]

It's good of them to remember.

Agreed. A very fine tribute...and much appreciated.


And as far as the "Stars and Bars" slip of the keypad: Around here it conjures up not entirely unacceptable imagery.

[TOM WALSH]

A very nice gesture for sure. Thanks for pointing it out.

Cheers,

Tom Walsh.

[Chappie]

Fantastic gesture. Awesome.


Chappie

[TOM WALSH]

A total of 244 adventurous U. S. airmen flew with the Royal Air Forces' three American Eagle Fighter Squadrons in WW II. Their ages ranged from 18 to 42. More than 60% of this number found their way into action after they had enlisted and trained with the Royal Canadian Air Force in Canada. Many transferred from the RCAF to the United States Army Air Forces after America joined the War effort on December 8, 1941. The bulk of these lateral transfers took place in the summer of 1942. There was never any pressure to transfer as we were fighting the same enemies for the same reasons. Most did so out of loyalty to their flag and Country.

Cheers,

Tom Walsh.

[Stoney]

Tom
I met a real former ES pilot and he said the number that claimed they were ES pilots was about 5000, what a shame on those guys.

[TOM WALSH]

Stoney,

There was a lot of "borrowered glory" going on in WW II.

Cheers,

Tom Walsh.

[TOM WALSH]

Those Americans who earned their Wings in the RCAF or RAF during the War, were entitled to wear them on their USAAF uniforms after transferring.

They wore their Air Corps metal Wings over their left breast pocket and their RCAF/RAF cloth Wings over their right breast pocket. At social functions and dances, women seemed to gravitate to those pilots whose uniforms sported double Wings. They just assumed the wearers of same to be highly trained or superior airmen! The cagey pilots did nothing to dispel the young ladies erroneous assumptions and happily went along with whatever the nubile damsels mistakingly believed.

Cheers,

Tom Walsh.